There is a misconception that Apple’s AirPods should only be used with iPhones. Some believe AirPods lose too many features when paired with a non-iPhone to be worth it, while some erroneously believe AirPods won’t even work at all with an Android device.
I can attest to the fact that that’s not the case, as I have been using the AirPods Max for over a year, and they’re usually paired with an Android smartphone. The same applies to the new AirPods Pro 2: I have been using these for the past two weeks, but only the first half of that period was paired with an iPhone. The rest of the time it’s been paired to either a Xiaomi 12S Ultra or a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. And for me personally, the experience has been perfectly fine. There are indeed some features lost when I use AirPods with an Android, but most of them don’t matter too much to me. Your mileage may vary.
- The second generation AirPods Pro improve in all the areas that matter
How to pair an AirPods Pro 2 (or any AirPods) with an Android
One immediate benefit you lose when you use the AirPods Pro 2 (or any AirPods) with an Android device is you lose the somewhat seamless one-tap pairing process that you get within the Apple ecosystem. When you’re on an iPhone and a new (or previously unpaired to your device) set of AirPods Pro 2 is near, as soon as the AirPods case lid is opened, your iPhone should get a pop-up card asking if you want to pair. One tap to confirm, and the AirPods Pro 2 are not only paired to your iPhone, but also to any other iOS device you have that’s using the same Apple ID.
You don’t get that with an Android device. To pair an Airpods with an Android smartphone:
- You must manually long press the small button on the back of the AirPods Pro 2 case, and wait for the case’s indicator light to flash white, which means the AirPods Pro 2 is now in pairing mode.
- Go into the Bluetooth settings of your Android device
- Find the AirPods listed, and tap to pair.
- A pop-up window will then ask you to grant permission for the AirPods Pro access to your contacts and call history.
So instead of a one-tap process that takes half a second, pairing an AirPods Pro 2 with an Android device becomes a multi-step, 10-second process. The good news is you only have to do this one time. Afterward, the AirPods Pro 2 will automatically connect to your Android device as soon as you take them out of the case.
I have been using the AirPods Pro 2 with the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Xiaomi 12T Pro, and before that, I had been using my AirPods Max with at least a dozen Android devices from brands ranging from Google to Huawei, and I have never had any issue with audio playback or audio quality. I am no audiophile, but the sound coming from the AirPods Pro 2 sounds identical whether I’m paired to an Apple or Samsung device.
The core fundamental functionality of AirPods Pro 2 works perfectly fine for me on Android devices, including switching from ANC to transparency mode via a long press of the AirPods stem or adjusting volume with swipes. If your Android phone supports it, you can even access Google Assistant via the “Hey Google” voice command. I could do this on an international version of the Xiaomi 12T Pro perfectly fine.
What features do you lose when you pair an AirPods Pro 2 with an Android device?
As mentioned, you lose out on the seamless one-tap pairing during the first pairing process. That is only a one-time minor hassle that really shouldn’t matter to anyone. But there are other features lost that may matter to you. These are:
- Automatic ear detection
- Spatial Audio
- Customization of AirPods control
- Apple Find My network
Automatic Ear Detection
Automatic ear detection is a feature most should be familiar with: the AirPods Pro 2 (and all previous AirPods) uses a proximity sensor to detect when the earbuds have been removed from your ear, and will pause music or video automatically anytime you take out the AirPods. I can see this being a very useful feature for many people, but it’s not for me. I fiddle with my earbuds often when they’re inside my ear, and I dislike the music stopping every time I wiggle them loose for even a split second.
Spatial Audio
Spatial Audio is when the AirPods Pro 2 would keep track of your head movement and adapt the audio playback to simulate the effect of a 360-degree listening experience. Turn your head right, for example, and audio from the left side would become stronger because your left ear is more “exposed” to the music “in front of you.” The AirPods Pro 2 also offers personalized spatial audio, with the iPhone using its TrueDepth camera system to scan your ear canal for a “more personalized sound.” I don’t really hear the difference, to be honest before and post the ear scan.
Spatial Audio is not a must-have feature, and it’s not for everyone, but it can add to the music experience. I enjoy using it when I’m in a room, but not so much when I’m walking around town.
AirPods control optimization
The third feature lost is the ability to customize AirPods controls. If you’re paired with an iPhone, you can jump into settings and change what a long press of the stem does, for example. I assigned the left long press to Siri while keeping the right long press toggling between ANC or transparency mode. I can also add a neutral listening mode without ANC or transparency.
Find My
The last one may be important for most people: the AirPods Pro 2 can connect to Apple’s Find My network, meaning if you allow it to, you can track its location if they’re misplaced. You can even set up alerts that pop up on your iPhone anytime your AirPods Pro 2 are too far from your phone.
Should you buy an AirPods Pro 2 if you don’t own an Apple device at all?
As I mentioned at the beginning, these lost features when the AirPods are paired to Android devices are not dealbreakers for me, hence why I’ve been using the AirPods Max, and recently, AirPods Pro 2, with Android devices for a year without complaints. However, I am a unique case because I do own multiple Apple devices, including a MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max along with several Android phones. So while my AirPods are used with Android devices when I’m out and about, when I’m at home working off a MacBook, I do enjoy the AirPods and Apple seamless connectivity.
Ultimately, I would phrase it like this: don’t go out of your way to buy AirPods Pro 2 if you are a full-time Android user who doesn’t own a single Apple device. But if you are an Android user with an iPad or Mac at home, or if you’re an Android user who has been gifted/given a pair of AirPods, do give them a shot. They’re still good earbuds, just not the best choice to pursue on your own outside the Apple ecosystem. Instead, you can pick up some other recommended earbuds to use on Android.
The post Can I use the Apple AirPods Pro 2 with an Android device? appeared first on XDA.
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